


in my final hour

by Reishiin



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: AU where Yuuma dies instead of Vector, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-08
Updated: 2017-04-08
Packaged: 2018-10-16 09:54:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10568883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reishiin/pseuds/Reishiin
Summary: Penitence, Vector thinks, isbullshit.These cards are not his, and being forced to trust that they will carry him through this duel is terrifying.But then he remembers, "Let's do it, Shingetsu," and makes himself believe.AU where Vector instead of Yuuma survives the fall, and goes on to fight Don Thousand at Nasch's side.(eta bc related works don't show up in summaries: yes, it is the same AU, different perspective.)





	

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [entrusted hopes and fate-bound regrets](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10566885) by [Xephonia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xephonia/pseuds/Xephonia). 



> Vector's POV of above fic, will likely make no sense without reading that first.

 

 

 

**-00:03:14**

 

"It's ridiculous. You're ridiculous," Vector yells, barely audible over the rushing wind, "and I can't drag you down with me—"

"—who said you're going anywhere?! Kattobingu, Shark, Astral. Shingetsu—"

Vector feels Yuuma pull, hard, on their linked hands. Feels the center of gravity shift around them both, and then Vector is back on the ledge, Yuuma's deck pouch and the Emperor's Key in his hands, and Yuuma is falling away into Don Thousand's vortex.

He barely makes out Yuuma's lips forming the words, "Goodbye."

Nasch scrambles to the edge, barely keeps from falling in himself. "YUUMA!"  
  
(And the idiot still says he's not in love with him.)

Tsukumo Yuuma is so, so, so, so stupid, and he keeps getting in the way, and now he has ruined Vector's plans for the last time.

Beneath them the vortex has stopped whirling, and as the three worlds fuse into one around them, the stone flowers that bloom across the surface of the ground and reach toward the crimson sky are terrible and beautiful.

Nasch has gone very still, and now he reaches out and catches Vector around the throat and holds him off the edge of the chasm. "Give me a reason—one good reason— not to toss you off right now."  
  
Their position is not unlike the way Vector held Merag ten years ago. Vector thinks it's payback. He shifts into Barian form so he doesn't have to breathe. "I'm good in a duel, and you want a shot at beating that... thing."  
  
Their eyes meet.

Nasch pulls Vector back up and drops him on the ground. "You're more use alive. For now."

In the sky, a flash of light, and Mizael crashes into the ground at their feet.

 

 

 

**-00:02:38**

  
  
Penitence, Vector thinks, is _bullshit_.  
  
Nasch is waiting for him to make his play against Don Thousand, and the spirits are waiting just out of sight, and Yuuma's key is around his neck and he is not sure the leather cord will not strangle him on the spot if he doesn't do this.

(If Vector does die here, he is is fine with that. He should have stayed dead all those years ago in the first place, and a curse on the Barian god's name for bringing him back.)

He constructs the Overlay Network, reaches into his extra deck for Masquerade. Then he passes it over, and chooses Hope instead.

These cards are not his, and being forced to trust that they will carry him through is terrifying.

(But then he remembers, _"Let's do it, Shingetsu"_ , and makes himself believe.)

Nasch is looking at him with an unreadable expression. Vector realizes there are tears streaming down his face, and raises his free hand to swipe them away. Follows the turn through; attaches Rising Hope to No. 39 and restores Silent Honor Ark from the grave. Nasch glances his way and nods.

Later, he returns Umbral Horror to Vector.

 

 

 

 

  
**-00:01:04**

 

Against all odds, they win. Vector drops Yuuma's pendant from shaking hands, the phantom corners of it still sharp against his palm, and feels a little less uneasy about the stupid thing called hope.

 _Kattobingu,_ Yuuma says, as his and Kaito's visions or spirits or whatever circle them all once and then fade away.

The Astral Emissary is watching him and Nasch, impassive. Does not move to attack either of them, or make an attempt at the Code. Without the Numbers, he can do nothing.

Nasch turns to face Vector, duel disk ready, and it catches Vector off guard. "What?"  
  
"You have the remaining Numbers," Nasch replies.

So, even though they have fought alongside each other, Nasch still doesn't trust him.

(Good.)

_Who's the betrayer now, eh?_

The world is in pieces around them and everyone they know is dead, and Nasch still isn't giving up. Vector thinks, he should have let the ghosts drag him to hell. It might be a better resting place.

He already knows the outcome of this duel. He has never won against Nasch before.

But there is also the small weight of Yuuma's pendant atop his own. _I place my hope, my belief in the future, in you._ So Vector must do his utmost to live on anyway.

Just the two of them them now. Silence, the circling light from their overlay units between turns the shift of their feet against the ground as they brace against impact. Across the field, pain and exhaustion twists Nasch's face, and Vector is sure those expressions are mirrored on his own as he drags his aching body up to draw again.

This turn Nasch misses the timing, and Vector realizes: he's not playing optimally.

It is an advantage, and Vector needs to press it, so he does the only thing he knows how to do.

He cheats.  
  
_("If you just have hope, and act on the genuine belief that success is possible, then you can break through any situation._

_"—Right, Shingetsu?")_

Vector summons two monsters, instead of the one he is technically allowed, and it gives him the edge he needs to win.

 

 

 

 

**00:00:00**

 

The duel is over, and Nasch is gone and Vector is left with the silence of the world: the power of the Numbers flowing through his body, and the Numeron Code in his hands. A long time ago, he would have killed for this. He _has_ killed for this.

"Oi, Astral."

"Mm?"

"Is it true that the holder of this thing can rewrite the universe?"

"Yes," Astral replies, calm. Then, "What are you going to do with it?"

"Yuuma, he would have wanted..."

The Numeron Code is solid light under Vector's hands, and he does not know where to begin.

Astral tilts his head to Nasch's body some distance away. The trappings of Barian have all fallen away, leaving them both with only their weak human forms, and Nasch is not breathing. "You can start with him."

Vector nods. Closes his eyes and activates the Code, and searches the ether for the path Nasch's soul had taken. It hasn't been long, he can't be far.

(But Vector also doesn't understand Nasch. He has fought him and hated him and did everything in his power to make his life hell, yes— but he doesn't really know why Nasch chased him back home to witness his death, that first lifetime, or why Nasch followed Merag over that cliff.)

He can't do it. He can't find Nasch like this, not even with the power of the Code.

(He tries not to think about what this means for saving everyone else, as well.)

So he saves Nasch's life the human way instead.  
  
(As he drops to his knees at Nasch's side, he's grateful that Heartland Academy enrols all the first-years in basic CPR classes.)  
  
_You're not allowed to die, you bastard._

Beneath him Nasch's body jerks; he gasps, gulping deep breaths of air as his eyes open. He pulls himself into a sitting position, and then scrubs at his mouth with the back of his hand. Looks at Vector with an unreadable expression. "You know, I would've let you die."

"I know," Vector replies. "I don't give a damn about you. This is just what Tsukumo Yuuma would have done."  
  
_The cycles of hatred and revenge only go nowhere, right?_  
  
Vector stands up. Looks at Astral, who nods, and then he turns to Nasch and holds out the Code. "What Yuuma would have done," he repeats. "You know what that is. And it's up to me to do it now, but I can't do it on my own, so I need your help. Astral's, too."

Nasch looks from the Astral Emissary, whose face remains impassive, and back to Vector. Then he steps forward and takes Vector's hand.

 

 

 

 

 

**01:04:01**

 

 

Morning over central Heartland. On the second street over on the east side of the city, in one of the row of detached houses, Tsukumo Yuuma scrambles around his room as he gets ready for school. "Akari-nee-san, have you seen my Key?!"

Vector lifts the Emperor's Key from his neck and holds the cord out to Nasch.  "Give this back to that guy, will you?"

Nasch doesn't take it. "Return it yourself. I'm in no mood to run your errands."

It is the height of summer and the sun is just rising in the sky, its light glancing over the surface of Heartland River. The Astral Emissary departed yesterday, taking the Code with him, after ensuring that everything was in order. It is as if nothing had ever happened here. 

"—Let's go home," Nasch says, and turns and walks into the light that will take them back to Heartland City.

Vector follows him.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> With gratitude and apologies to Xephonia, whose duel writing I always manage to mess up. (And also to Zexal, just generally.) All mistakes are mine.
> 
> Vector's rulebreaking is canon (episode 96, vs. Yuuma)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [entrusted hopes and fate-bound regrets](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10566885) by [Xephonia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xephonia/pseuds/Xephonia)




End file.
